The Love Hunter

Chapter 16

 Uncovering Darian's Past

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Hindi ko maiwasang mapansin si Darian habang lumilipas ang mga araw sa Crystalveil Academy. His presence, despite being subtle and withdrawn, seemed to tug at the edges of my curiosity.

 Ano nga ba ang meron sa kanya? Bakit parang napakalalim ng lungkot at bigat na dala niya? Kahit ilang beses ko nang sinubukang basahin ang kanyang isip, there was always this impenetrable wall, blocking my psychic powers. It's as if his mind was a locked vault, and I didn't have the key—yet.

That only made me more determined.

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Isang gabi, hindi ako mapakali. Habang nakahiga sa kama, tumingin ako sa kisame, malalim na nag-iisip. I knew there was more to Darian than what he let people see. The fragments I had glimpsed in our brief interactions—his coldness, his resistance to my attempts at conversation—only hinted at the complexity underneath.

Bumangon ako at tumayo sa harap ng bintana, tinititigan ang madilim na langit. "Why do you keep hiding, Darian?" I whispered to myself. 

'What are you so afraid of?'

I needed answers, and I knew exactly how to get them. I'd have to dig deeper, use my abilities not just to read his surface thoughts but to access his deeper memories. It was risky, especially since I wasn't even sure if it would work with him actively blocking me, pero hindi ko kayang hindi subukan.

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Kinabukasan, sinadya kong magpaka-available sa mga oras na malapit si Darian. Kadalasan, nagtatago siya sa mga sulok ng academy—madalas nasa library o kaya'y nag-iisa sa mga quiet spots. Alam kong naroon siya sa isang secluded area ng hardin ng Crystalveil, kaya dahan-dahan akong lumapit, carrying a book to make my approach seem casual.

Nang makita niya ako, tumingin lang siya saglit, bago bumalik sa pagbabasa ng sarili niyang libro. As expected, he didn't make any move to engage in conversation. *Typical Darian,* I thought, but today wasn't about small talk.

Tumayo ako sa isang bench na hindi masyadong malayo sa kanya, binuksan ang libro, at tumutok, kunwari nagbabasa. Pero sa totoo lang, nakatuon ang utak ko sa pag-gamit ng powers ko. Slowly, I reached out again, trying to breach his mental barriers.

Sa simula, gaya ng dati, parang wala akong makapasok. Parang makapal na pader na hindi ko kayang butasin. Pero hindi ako tumigil. I focused harder, pushing gently, trying to slip past the cracks. I needed to be subtle—if I pushed too hard, he might notice and reinforce his defenses.

Pagtagal, unti-unti kong naramdaman ang isang piraso ng memorya. It was faint at first, like a whisper, pero naging malinaw din ang imahe.

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A young Darian stood at the edge of a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees. His eyes were wide with sadness, and a figure—a woman with long, flowing hair—was walking away from him, disappearing into the woods. "Mother, please don't leave!" his voice echoed in my mind, full of pain and desperation.

'His mother?' I thought, watching the scene unfold through his memories. Her back remained turned, never looking back as she disappeared deeper into the forest. Darian, still just a child in this memory, dropped to his knees, tears falling down his cheeks.